Saul Gelbart is a Certified
Family Law Specialist who has
been helping people resolve all
matters of Family Law with the
utmost care and discretion for
over 30 years. He is an active
member in his community,
taking time to serve at local
schools and coaching athletics.

 Named one of the Top 50
lawyers in all of Orange County
- all specialties included by Super Lawyers.

CELEBRATE
ISRAEL
Join the entire community
at Israel Expo 2014.
BY ILENE SCHNEIDER

MAY IS A month for a major celebration.
I can almost taste the falafel and shawarma.
Israel is turning 66. From the pioneering days to the startup nation days, in
spite of war and isolation, Israel has shown
that moxie and determination, a few major
miracles and a little help from its friends can
make a small country strong and prosperous.
While some of Israel’s 66-year history has
been punctuated by less-than-pleasant situations, the vibe is positive, and the spirit is
unbridled. Israeli technology is in a huge
growth mode, and Israelis are everywhere,
helping in crises all over the world and
doing other things to make
the world a better place.
Think of Israel every time
Israelis are
you use your computer or
everywhere,
your cell phone. Think of it
helping in crises
every time there is a rescue
all over the world
thropic and paid positions.
mission to some remote part
and doing other
Some are and always have
of the world, because you
things
to
make
been driving forces behind
know the Israelis will be the
the
world
a
the Israel Expo, which takes
first responders. Whether the
better
place.
place on May 18 from 1 to
rest of the world acknowledg6 p.m. in Irvine. That event
es it or not, you know that
brings it all together – a cellives will be saved because
of Israelis. We celebrate that, plus all of the ebration of many things in one jam-packed
artistic and musical endeavors that Israelis day.
In this issue we salute the state of Israel
bring to the world.
We have much to celebrate in the Orange and Orange County’s unique community
County Jewish community, too. Here we event to showcase it. Having spent 12 wonstand on the shoulders of so many people derful days in Israel recently, I hope that
who have remained active in both philan- everyone gets to do likewise. Whether it is
12 MAY 2014 |

Jlife

a Birthright trip, a mission, a family vacation or a business trip, a journey to Israel is
life-changing at any age. Being in Israel is a
chance to relive your history, watch the desert bloom, enjoy unique cuisine and witness
the exciting development of technology. It
is the best place in the world to celebrate
Judaism and celebrate life.
If this is not your year to visit Israel (or
even if it is), we hope that you will do the
next best thing and join the entire Jewish
community at the Israel Expo on May 18.
It will be a great celebration for people of
all ages. A

We need the community’s support
to help make us whole again.
If you are willing to donate, please visit
www.tbsoc.com/fire-recovery-fund/
or call the TBS office at 714-628-4600

14 MAY 2014 |

Jlife

LK
Law Offices of

Laurence Kutinsky
CERTIFIED FAMILY LAW SPECIALIST

•

•

•

•

•

•

STRONG, EFFECTIVE & PASSIONATE REPRESENTATION
Certified Specialist in the area of Family Law since 1985
Rated AV Preeminent, the highest possible peer review rating
Selected as a Southern California Super Lawyer
One of the “Best Lawyers in America” in the practice of Family Law
One of Southern California’s “Top Rated Lawyers”
Awarded Tier 1 Ranking in the U.S. News Best Lawyers
949-706-1706 | lkutinsky@gmail.com | laurencekutinsky.com
24 Corporate Plaza Drive, 2nd Floor | Newport Beach, CA 92660

A Shabbat for
Everyone
May 2: Family Shabbat Service
May 16: Tot Shabbat
May 17: Saturday Morning Shabbat
May 18: Come see us at the Israeli Expo

www.cbtfv.org · 714-963-4611

9669 Talbert Avenue · Fountain Valley, CA 92708

Jlife

| MAY 2014 15

LETTERS

Kvetch & Kvell
“Evangelical Zionism!!” As a
Protestant, I am embarrassed by these
so-called churches.

PHOTO BY ZACH DALIN

But if you are looking for the focal
point of the resurgence of antiSemitism in the US, it is on our college
campuses, where pro-Palestinian
activists rule the roost. Aided by leftist
professors, they have made the IsraeliPalestinian conflict the number-one
hot topic on university campuses at
the expense of so many issues that
affect students directly. The Boycott,
Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)
Movement is one example. I can tell
you that UCI is no exception because
I teach there and have been observing
and documenting the hate speech
since 2007.
It is absolutely vital that the community
understand the scope of the problem
and get involved. Christians and Jews
need to stand together because we
face a common threat as the events
involving Christians in the Middle East
clearly illustrate.
Gary Fouse
In response to our March cover story:

CLOAKED IN COWARDICE
There are many good points in
this article, but I think the writer
understated the role of Europe’s
Muslim population in the European
anti-Semitism. It is a fact that in many
major cities, Jews cannot walk about
in Jewish garb lest they be insulted
or assaulted mostly by young male
Muslim immigrants. Malmo, Sweden
is probably the worst, but it happens
in Holland, France, Norway and other
countries as well.

There is also much valid criticism to be
leveled at various Christian churches
that have become activists on behalf
of the Palestinians. The Presbyterian
Church USA and the English Methodist
Church are prominent in this activism.
In December 2012, I was present
at the All Saints Episcopal Church
in Pasadena when they hosted the
annual conference of the Muslim
Public Affairs Council and the
presiding pastor told the audience
that “the history of the Christian
Church was littered with acts of
hate by Christians.” He mentioned
the Holocaust but also mentioned,

In response to a letter we printed
last month:

PROOF OF THE TRUTH?
Hello, I was shocked to read the
letter from Stu Kaiden regarding the
insulting and dismissive behavior to
Benjamin Netanyahu by the Obama
Administration vis a vis his exiting the
White House through the garage. I
would like further clarification of this.
If this did, indeed, occur, what was
the reason?
Was there a logical explanation? And
if this did, indeed, occur, I would

Continued on page 18

16 MAY 2014 |

Jlife

LETTERS
Continued from page 16

like Mr. Kaiden to cite his sources
(evidence). The statement is
extremely inflammatory and needs
corroboration (proof) of its having
happened for nefarious reasons.
It’s very easy for people to make
unproven claims and the letter should
have cited its source. I went online
to search for further information and
there was no mention in any of the
news sites of such an event having
taken place, as far as I could find.
Rosalie Gottfried
In reply to Ms. Rosalie Gottfried:
I am amazed at the fact that you
have not heard of this tremendous
and disgraceful act by the Obama
administration, which I believe was
at the direction of Obama. However,
I will attempt to enlighten you and
answer your question. On March
05, 2012 Prime Minister Netanyahu
and Obama met at the White House
and the Prime Minister was greeted
begrudgingly, no photos, no red
carpet, nothing for a faithful ally of
the USA. When the meeting ended,
the Prime Minister and his aides were
ushered out via the garbage exit
door, not the garage as you state. I
might add that it is wise to agree with
Obama on any subject or the Obama
Administration will throw you out with
the garbage and has also done this
to the Dali Lama in February 2010.
You can find out about all this on
line on the internet or in the Atlanta
Journal Constitution and other
national publications and for this
reason I am certain these disgraceful
episodes did occur, and although you
may think that there is something
“nefarious,” it is just Obama being
Obama. I first learned of this repulsive
behavior from watching TV. It is no
wonder the rest of the world can

no longer trust the USA when we
treat our only trustworthy friend in
the Middle East in that manner. The
only logical reason for his behavior
was in part caused by Obama as he
had no knowledge of the history or
boundaries of Israel and had not been
advised by his staff. I hope this helps!
Stu Kaiden
The original letter:
No doubt you will get a plethora
of response to your article on the
subject of Anti-Semitism and the selfhating Jews that wish they were not
Jews and find them picked on by the
KKK and the other haters. Unless you
have grown up with and experienced
anti-Semitism first hand, it is hard to
describe the feelings you will come
away with from that experience. I
have and I know many of my friends
have had that experience. A lot
of them are subtle and below the
surface, such as being denied a hotel
room if you are black or a “NonChristian” and the hotel “policy”
is displayed on a placard on the
counter. Or if you have a co-worker
consistently calling co-workers “Jewboy.” Then there is the case of Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
being dismissed by Obama and
exiting the White House by the
garbage. If that is not enough of a
tip-off how this administration feels
regarding the existence of Israel,
look at how they consistently dismiss
the rocket attacks on Israel. Would
they permit a foreign government
or terrorist group to get away with
that on the USA? I believe the Prime
Minister is correct when he states
“When someone says they are going
to annihilate you, take them seriously.”
Stu Kaiden

Who Knew?
Gwyneth Paltrow and her husband,
Coldplay front man Chris Martin,
announced that they would be
separating after 10 years of marriage.
Instead of throwing out the term
divorce, the couple stated that the
break-up was actually a “conscious
uncoupling.”
Paltrow and Martin decided to spend
the last few weeks in the Bahamas
together on a “break up moon.” It is
reported that the two woke up each
morning at 5 a.m. for “daily counseling
and joint meditation sessions.”
At the end of the trip, the former
couple engaged in an “uncoupling
ceremony” officiated by a Kabbalah
rabbi. Shalom Life recently reported
that the two held a beachside
ceremony in which, “Paltrow and
Martin read from a sacred book, lit a
fire and used stones to symbolize the
‘concrete relationship’ that the two
will continue to share as parents and
friends. They finished by throwing the
rocks into the water to symbolize their
‘wandering spirits.’”
Finally, it is reported that Paltrow
and Martin recited, “Blessed are you
in coming in and blessed are you in
going out,” and sealed the words with
a kiss goodbye.

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THE
BUSYNESS
OF MY LIFE
LEAVES
LITTLE
TIME FOR
REFLECTION,
AND I HAVE
COME TO
BELIEVE
THAT THIS
IS A GOOD
THING.
22 MAY 2014 |

Jlife

DRAWING BY PEPE FAINBERG

Take time to create memories.

AFTER A LOT of back and forth, a truckload of
documentation scanned and several high-pitched conversations with my medical practitioner of the hour, I
procured travelers’ insurance for me (rife with exceptions and caveats) despite a recent, not-quite-resolved
illness. Praise the Lord--with medication packed and my
overnight bag packed, the spouse and I boarded a plane
for a five-day, four-night jaunt to England to celebrate
his granddaughter’s Bat Mitzvah.
We brought along three additional Israeli granddaughters who had never been overseas. Their mom,
heavily pregnant with her sixth, was delighted by the
offer and drove us to the airport. Everything about the
flight was great; from the rudimentary English lesson I

gave to the distribution of left-over Purim snacks. The
little girls were excited and anxious about whether or
not their party dresses would be suitable for an elegant
British soiree.
Aside from the tourist attractions and never-ending
rides on the underground train, the only thing for
me that truly counted was the time spent with family.
Shabbos dinner was a beautiful get-together in a heated
backyard tent, attended by forty relatives of my stepson’s
wife. (She is the Brit.) Our side of the family was represented by four, not counting the children we brought.
Talk and laughter, oodles of Jewish geography, speeches,
public accolades and expressions of gratitude were the
order of the celebration. It could not have been nicer.

VIEWPOINT

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As we left we promised – as always – to visit more often. Looking
forward to a bit of accustomed quiet and alone time, we nevertheless
reflected about the importance of being with family.
Two weeks later, after the same insurance company tussle, the
husband and I boarded another flight for South Africa, via Addis
Ababa. We had made the eleventh-hour decision to visit three of my
daughters who live in Johannesburg so that I could hold, cuddle and
bestow some kisses into the bellies of the two newborn grandsons I
had not yet met. Passover seemed the perfect time with nowhere to
go except from home to home and playground to playground. I also
desperately wanted my daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren to
get to know my husband, Ronney, on a deeper level. They had only
met at the wedding three years earlier, and it was time to “cement”
that family thing.
Ronney was more excited than anyone, because he is the South
African! My American-born children live there as a result of marriage and continuing education. He could not wait to see his childhood home, visit the cemetery where his parents are buried, see
some distant cousins and locate some old drinking buddies. Most
important, there were some foods that were waiting to be eaten.
While I remained at my daughter’s cottage to sleep and recover
from the long flight, apparently he and my daughter hit every food
shop in the kosher district, and he had tears in his eyes at each stop,
conjuring up culinary memories from a distant childhood. When
he finally returned to the house carrying four bags of dried meats,
sausages and dried biscuits (“It isn’t like spending. It’s Monopoly
money!”), he announced, “In 40 minutes I ate breakfast, lunch and
dinner.”
Every night he played squash with Talia’s husband, Antonino and
I worked out in the gym. I read books to children, sang songs with
nine-year-old Shmuel Dovid from the new Schwecky CD I had
brought. I gave haircuts. We made both houses kosher-for-Passover,
and I cooked some of their childhood foods in order that the
grandchildren should know “Grandma’s cooking.” We visited with
the in-laws, went to far too many South African “bries” and stayed
up several late nights playing board games with the married couples
and a few of the older grandchildren.
The busyness of my life leaves little time for reflection, and I
have come to believe that this is a good thing. The peace, love and
sense of closeness that comes from being with my children and my
husband’s children and all of our grandchildren bear witness to the
investments of our previous labors. It was not always easy, and good
memories are peppered with pain, shame and unresolved issues.
But nothing beats the rapturous joy of taking a nap with a fouryear-old girl who, stroking my cheek, says, “I love you, Grandma.
Can you stay here forever?”

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‫דוברי עברית‬
New York-born Andrea Simantov is a mother of six who
moved to Jerusalem in 1995. She frequently lectures on
the complexity and magic of life in Jerusalem and can be
contacted at elkadee@netvision.net.il.

Jlife

| MAY 2014 23

Israeli Guy | BY TEDDY WEINBERGER

VIEWPOINT

Obligated to Party
Yom Ha’atzmaut comes in many
forms on different days.

TOO BAD
FOR MY
CALENDAR,
BUT HEY
– WE ARE
STILL A
YOUNG
COUNTRY.
24 MAY 2014 |

Jlife

A GOOD THING about America’s Independence Day
is that it is so dependable: you can always count on it
to fall out on the 4th of July. Israel’s Independence Day,
on the other hand, is much less reliable. To begin with,
its commemoration is tied to the Hebrew calendar, of
which half the population here typically has not the
foggiest. Add to this the factor of Memorial Day immediately preceding Independence Day and the factor of
neither day being commemorated on the Sabbath, and
you have a recipe for calendrical confusion.
Take this year, for example. My daily calendar has
Yom Ha’atzmaut marked out on its official commemorative day, the fifth day of the Hebrew month of Iyyar,
which this year is on Monday May 5. But because the
Jewish day begins at night, this would have meant that
Memorial Day would have begun on Saturday night,
May 3, making it difficult for many of the Sabbathobserving bereaved to attend commemoration services. Memorial Day, therefore, has been postponed to
Sunday night, May 4, thus pushing Independence Day
celebrations this year to the sixth of Iyyar, beginning on
Monday night, May 5. Too bad for my calendar, but
hey – we are still a young country.
For religious Zionists, the founding of the State of
Israel has theological significance, and religious Zionists
want to mark this occasion of God’s acting in history.
They do so primarily with a special evening service on
the night of Independence Day, which includes the
blowing of the shofar and the recitation of the festive
Hallel prayer. Religious non-Zionists, however, attach
no special religious importance to Yom Ha’atzmaut,
and even recite the tahanun prayer reserved for regular
profane weekdays.
To the general public, Yom Ha’atmzaut is a time for
free outdoor concerts, fireworks, getting foam sprayed
all over you and having musical toy hammers smashed
into your skull. There are also many parties throughout

the night. In Givat Ze’ev, even the party for junior highschool students begins at midnight.
The day of Yom Ha’atzmaut provides one with the
opportunity to fulfill the central commandment of
this holiday: the mangal (barbecue). One simply has
not fulfilled one’s obligation to one’s country without
a BBQ. It’s no wonder that my friend Katriel playfully
calls this day not Yom Ha’atzmaut, but Yom Ha’atzamot
(the day of bones). Israelis like to get out into nature on
Independence Day, and so they lug all their barbecue
paraphernalia with them. Because holiday traffic jams
can be horrendous, some families set up their barbecues
well before the entrance to a park, thus getting a jump
on the trip back home. It is astounding to me to see
families barbecuing a few feet from a highway, with
asphalt and cars providing most of their scenery. You
sort of wonder why they did not just set up shop from
the comfort of their own neighborhood street.
There are several locations around the country on
Yom Ha’atzmaut where the army creates a military “parking lot” for kids. Givat Ze’ev is one of the chosen spots.
On our first Independence Day here sixteen years ago,
a television crew from Miami (where we lived before
aliya) followed us around. As the cameraman filmed
Rebecca climbing on a tank, I told the reporter that
kids here are socialized from a very early age to view the
military as friendly and fun. My three older children,
including Rebecca, have by now already completed their
military service, Ezra is scheduled to finish his service on
May 15, and Elie will be enlisting within a year. Independence, after all, has a price. Happy Holiday!

Teddy Weinberger, Ph.D., is a tennis coach who made
aliyah with his family in 1997 from Miami, where he
was an assistant professor of religious studies.
He and his wife, Sarah Jane Ross, have five children.

Jlife

| MAY 2014 25

On the Lighter Side | BY MAYRAV SAAR

VIEWPOINT

Magical Childhood
Is it beautiful or overwhelming?

IS THAT
REALLY SO
DIFFERENT
FROM A
HANDCRAFTED
“GOOD JOB”
STICKER
CHART?
26 MAY 2014 |

Jlife

THE INTERNET IS buzzing with arguments and
counter-arguments about what is being called “Magical
Childhood.”
Magical Childhood, to the naysayers, is an ultimately
self-serving series of actions taken by parents to over-plan
every moment of a child’s life with over-the-top themed
birthday parties, expensive vacations, outings, outfits and
preciously arranged snacks.
A column that went viral last month titled, “I’m Done
Making My Kid’s Childhood Magical,” declared that
such parenting is both exhausting for the parent and
potentially damaging to the child – all that orchestrated,
over-planned face time with Mom gets in the way of a
child’s ability to develop his imagination.
On the flip side, moms who Tweet pics of their magazine-spread-worthy party favor bags took to the Internet to
defend Magical Childhood as a beautiful thing that allows
parents and children to build joyful memories together.
So where does Judaism come down? To my understanding (and now that I’m 40, I’m very, very wise, so listen
up), Magical Childhood is, in fact, just another way of
saying “Jewish Childhood.”
While most of the world spent millennia considering
children to be nothing more than little adults, Jews have
long recognized childhood as being a distinct, beautiful
and (the ancient rabbis would never have used this word,
but) magical time.
In twelfth-century Europe, Jewish boys were initiated
into school by getting dressed up to the nines, escorted
into the synagogue and fed eggs, fruit and honey cakes.
There were no cute Instagrams of the boys showing off
their monogrammed backpacks outside the synagogue
door, but there might as well have been.
The letters of the Hebrew alphabet were written on a
slate and read to the boy. Then the letters were covered
with honey, which the boy licked so that he would associate the letters with sweetness and learning with reward. Is
that really so different from a hand-crafted “Good Job”
sticker chart?
The anti-Magical Childhood folks rail against moms
who are hyper-involved and laser-focused on Junior’s
studies, social life and extra-curricular activities. In other
words, Jewish mothers.

It’s no surprise, then, that I take issue with this. I don’t
use Pinterest to come up with Tooth Fairy ideas (don’t
need to; my Tooth Fairy ideas are the best), but I do
believe in turning to your community – online or off – to
share ideas, frustrations and strategies. You know, like
Jews have forever.
To the point that such parenting is exhausting and
leaves mothers and fathers depleted and cranky: Yep. It
sure does. But it also allows for families to create traditions together, learn from each other and grow together
as people. Plus, I’m pretty sure a mom can get herself all
tuckered out even if she never logs on to Pinterest or molds
soft-boiled eggs into cool shapes for her toddler’s lunch.
Finally, to the argument that Magical Childhood robs a
kid of his ability to cultivate an imagination, I recently read
about the early childhood of one Jewish man whose mother
was overwhelmingly doting, over-involved and indulgent.
That man? Steven Spielberg. Poor guy. Imagine where
he’d be today if his mother had just backed off and let his
imagination grow.

After a 10-year career as a newspaper reporter
for the Los Angeles Times and Orange County
Register, Mayrav Saar left to try her hand at child
rearing and freelance writing.

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Jlife

| MAY 2014 27

COVER STORY

2014
ISRAEL
EXPO
Energize yourself at
the most exciting
event of the year.
by Ilene Schneider

|
HIGHER STRO

28 MAY 2014 |

Jlife

COVER STORY

I

srael is truly amazing in every way. Going there is life-changing.
Then there is the next best thing…
“Israel: Higher. Stronger. Faster.” is the theme of Israel Expo
2014, an event that brings Israel to Irvine with sights, sounds and
flavors designed to entice all ages while celebrating Israel’s 66th
birthday. This year’s expo, slated for Sunday, May 18, from 1 to 6 p.m.
and sponsored by Jewish Federation & Family Services (JFFS), offers
the opportunity to see both top-tier entertainment and the kinds of
technological advances that have made Israel the “start-up nation.”
“This is the largest assemblage of Jewish people in Orange County
and a great showcase for Israel, JFFS and all the Jewish organizations
in the community,” said Blossom Siegel, co-chair of the event. “It’s
a very exciting day that shows how much JFFS cares and makes it
happen, and it’s free.”
Co-chair Idit Ferder explained that the new features of this year’s
Israel Expo “tell the story of how Israel excels in different areas –
technology and science, music and literature and sports.” She added,
“It will focus on the contributions of Israel to the world.”
Specifically, Mini MadaTech will have hands-on, interactive exhibits
from Israel’s National Museum of Science, Technology and Space.
IsraAID Relief in Haiti will show how Israelis provided the first
emergency aid to reach Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. The Health &
Wellness Pavilion will offer exhibits and interactive demonstrations by
local health and wellness providers. A real highlight is the bone marrow drive,
which actually produced a match last year.
The Israeli Excellence Exhibition will showcase Israeli achievements
in science, medicine, sports, arts and humanitarian aid. The Shalom
Family’s Garden of Readin’ will be a children’s literature fun zone with
a complete book fair and book signing.

|
NGER FASTER
Jlife

| MAY 2014 29

COVER STORY

Headlining the entertainment are the Fountainheads who will be performing during the
Lag B’Omer Jewish Unity parade. The Fountainheads, who are described as Israeli singing sensations will also be joined by children’s
choirs. Comedian Eric Schwartz is the master of
ceremonies, and other entertainers include InJoy Productions and local singer Aviella Winder. Israel in Motion will feature contemporary
dance and discussion with Israeli choreographer
Idan Cohen, dancer Noa Shiloh and historian
Nina Spiegel.
Additionally, there will be demonstrations
of Zumba, Pilates, Yoga and Krav Maga. More
than 100 commercial vendors will offer jewelry,
fashions, Judaica and more. There will be many
activities for children, and, of course, there will
be sumptuous Israeli food.
Offering further community-building is the
Israel Leaders program in which organizations
nominate a member of the organization showing the most dedication to Israel, according to

ERIC SCHWARTZ
LIVE
Often compared to
Jimmy Fallon or Adam
Sandler, Eric Schwartz
has been described
as one of the most
creative and original
comedians working
today. With appearances
on “The Tonight Show,“
“Showtime,” “Comics
Unleashed,” BET
and more, this multidimensional showman’s
stand-up, songs and
characters have made
him a favorite at clubs,
colleges and the web.
His viral videos have
aired on E!, G4, CNN
and OMG Insider, while
YouTube recently
named him one of their
prestigious NextUp
Creators. “E! News Daily”
host Ryan Seacrest says
Schwartz is “rocking
the web” with “videos
that have got everyone
Googling” and Forbes.
com applauds him for
having “a minor industry
in pop music parodies.”

30 MAY 2014 |

Jlife

Cindy Furst, who is in charge of the program.
“Everyone nominated will get up on stage and
be introduced,” she explained. “The winner’s
organization gets $3,600 and the runner-up’s
organization gets $1,800.”
The presenting sponsor is California Southern University, which offers accredited bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees, as well as
certificate programs. All CalSouthern programs
are offered 100-percent online through personalized one-on-one mentoring, ideal for the busy,
working professional.
Everyone agreed that the key to the success of
Israel Expo is Hagit Partouche, director of event
planning and coordination at JFFS. “Hagit puts
heart and soul into this event,” Ferder said. Siegel added, “Hagit works tirelessly all year. Because of her, Israel Expo is always tremendous.”
For details about IsraelExpo 2014, please see
the website, www.israelexpo.org.

Sunday | May 18 | 1-6 p.m.
This year’s expo offers the
opportunity to see both
top-tier entertainment and
the kinds of technological
advances advances that
have made Israel the
“start-up nation.”

SWAN LAKE
FUSION PROJECT
Enjoy a special sneak preview of
the Swan Lake Project, a unique
dance collaboration bringing
together UC Irvine and Israel and
featuring the choreography talents
of UCI Artist-in-Residence Idan
Cohen and Tong Wang and Diane
Diefenderfer of the Department of
Dance of the Claire Trevor School
of the Arts.
The full production of the Swan
Lake Project will be performed on
Wednesday, May 28, at 7 p.m. on
the Samueli Jewish Campus.

MADATECH
Enjoy a mini-tour of Israel’s
National Museum of Science,
Technology and Space.
MadaTech is dedicated to
preserving, perpetuating,
popularizing and promoting the
rich cultural heritage of science
and enhancing science literacy
among Israelis of all ages.
Enjoy digital manufacturing with
3D printers, robot shows, physics
experiments and more. Activities
will be offered throughout the day.

INJOY PRODUCTIONS
InJoy has been bringing joy and energy to communities around the globe. Led
by Israeli born Gilat Rapaport, InJoy performs traditional and contemporary
repertoire, making all crowds dance and sing along with the group. Gilat’s warm
and powerful voice, her electrifying presence and charisma, along with her
incredible band will enhance your deepest emotions and will bring them to life.

THE FOUNTAINHEADS
Described as a singing sensation, the Fountainheads are a group of young Israeli
singers, dancers and musicians, all graduates and students of the Ein Prat Academy for
Leadership, who have joined forces to create new Jewish artistic content for today’s
Jewish world.
Through their videos and live performances, the Fountainheads’ work is enjoyed by
millions of people all over the world. The Fountainheads perform at special events, trips,
concerts, weddings and simchas in Israel, and also tour overseas a few times a year. A

The Silhouette Plastic Surgery Institute
is dedicated to offering a complete range of
cosmetic and reconstructive surgical procedures in
fully accredited surgical facilities. Dr. Daneshmand
is an Orange County board certified plastic
surgeon who is committed to providing you with
skillful and compassionate care. He has been
traveling to underprivileged countries for the past
26 years to treat hundreds of children with the cleft
lip and palate anomaly who would otherwise not
receive surgical intervention.

DESERT
Ben-Gurion University holds promise
for the Negev and the rest of the world.
BY ILENE SCHNEIDER

34 MAY 2014 |

Jlife

F E AT U R E S

IN SOME WAYS it is a tabula rasa, a clean slate waiting for people
to leave their imprint on it. In other ways it is simply there for the
taking, an area waiting for development with no political repercussions. In yet other ways it is Israel’s best-kept secret.
The Negev, according to Israeli author A.B. Yehoshua, is where
“Israel’s potential comes into proportion.” As he said, “Huge areas
can be discovered there, which can be used for science and settlement. Tens of thousands more Jews could easily live in the Negev,
easing the crowding in central Israel.”
Yehoshua and others have noted that while many flourishing U.S.
cities are located in deserts, there has been little effort to settle the
Negev until recently. That fact is changing with the prominence and
promise of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, founded 44 years
ago in the spirit of David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister,
who said, “In the Negev the Jewish people’s fate will be decided.”
When Ben-Gurion immigrated to what was called Palestine in
1906, he envisioned starting anew. Bringing life to the dry, salty
soil of the desert symbolized that for him. Later, he and his wife
moved from their comfortable home in Tel Aviv to a modest house
in the Negev, enabling him to take a hands-on approach to making
the desert bloom.
While “Negev” means “dry” in Hebrew, the area – which accounts
for 60 percent of the land mass of Israel but a relatively small part
of its population – is awash in bright-colored flowers in the spring.
Because Israel has had to develop solutions for growing crops in
arid, adverse conditions, it is in the world’s forefront of agricultural
innovation, especially in the areas of irrigation and water recycling,
and it is sharing this technical know-how with the world.

Brain research at Ben-Gurion University.

Today, the university bearing Ben-Gurion’s name is a leader
not only in water reclamation and desalinization but also in brain
research, biotechnology research, drug discovery and robotics. The
youngest university in Israel was founded with a mandate from the
government of Israel to spearhead the development of the Negev
and to help the local population. A research institute was created
five or six years before the university was established, with support
from the Technion and Hebrew University.
Now Ben-Gurion University has 20,000 students on three camContinued on page 36

puses in Beersheva, Sde Boker and Eilat. It trains one third of the of Alzheimer’s, epilepsy and other diseases, but the outcomes have
Israeli engineers and has two medical schools in which the academic not changed much, although scientists know much more,” Dr.
and clinical staffs work together. The university, the hospital on Friedman said.
He added that more than 30 percent of the global population
campus and the industrial park close by are making Beersheva a
suffers from some type of brain disorder: stroke, traumatic brain
high-technology hub.
“If the university had been 50 miles north, the impact would not injury, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and others. There is also post-trauhave been as great in terms of health, social services, education and matic stress disorder (PTSD), which is studied extensively in the
science,” said Prof. Rivka Carmi, the university president. “Students southern part of Israel where there are rocket attacks with alarming
frequency. The neuroscience center moves
who get a scholarship have to spend time
from the bedside to the bench and back
doing specific things in the community for
again, doing basic research to understand
the challenged and disadvantaged.”
disease and understand the brain, caring
Dr. Carmi is renowned for her genetic
for patients with diagnosis and treatment
research on the Bedouin community. Her
When Ben-Gurion
of neurological and psychiatric patients,
research on Carmi syndrome, in which chilimmigrated to what
involveing the community and then doing
dren are born without skin, has influenced
was called Palestine
translational research to obtain new diagnosmatchmaking attempts that prevent marin 1906, he envisioned
tic approaches, new imaging tools and new
riages between two carriers. Now Bedouins
treatments.
attend the university as well, and Bedouin
starting anew.
How does the political climate play into
women are enrolled in the medical school.
this scenario? According to Dr. Carmi,
The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience
takes a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach that includes 200,000 of the 500,000 people living in the Negev are Bedouin,
health sciences, engineering sciences, natural sciences, social sci- and they are benefiting from the presence of Ben-Gurion University
ences and humanities. “We teach everyone the universal language and Soroka Hospital. There are projects and collaborations with
of science and then let them go deeper into their own field,” said Palestinians and other Arab countries.
“Sometimes, the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)
Alon Friedman, Ph.D., associate professor.
Dr. Friedman related that a “huge problem” of the 21st century is movement makes it harder to get research published or get keynote
that many people will die of brain disorders. As people live longer, speeches at scientific conferences in some countries,” Dr. Carmi
there is a greater likelihood of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenera- said. “There is something silent and underlying.”
tive diseases.
She concluded, “The Palestinians would be the most hurt by
“People have been studying the brain for 50 years in the areas boycotts. Science and education are the path to peace.”

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36 MAY 2014 |

Jlife

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So even though your children are still developing and
“finding themselves” in life, it is important to pay attention to
anything that strikes you as abnormal. Intuition can go a long
way in recognizing a child in need.
Please take a moment to educate yourselves and your
children with some of the resources we’ve provided in this issue.

— Tracey Armstrong Gorsky, Editor in Chief

Editor Tracey Armstrong Gorsky is the
managing editor for JLife and former editor
and writer for Making Waves, Pet Product
News, Veterinary Practice News and Surfing
Magazine. She brings over ten years of
writing and editing experience to Kiddish
magazine and holds a Masters in Business
Administration.

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chocolate chips
and nuts (if no
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Heidi Kahn is
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magazine and the
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at University
Synagogue. She is
an award-winning
teacher who has
over 30 years of
experience in the
field of Jewish
Early Childhood
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baking sheet and smooth with the
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Cut into squares when cool. Delicious
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8

FAMILY MATTERS

kiddish

No Points For
Second Place
How to manage your expectations of your children.
BY SUSAN PENN, M.ED.

W

atching the Olympic
athletes cry, after they

We all want the best for our children.

haven’t succeeded

We want them to achieve and to succeed

in their quest to win

and to win gold all the time. But is it

gold, made me stop and take stock of

possible for everyone to be the best? Are

my expectations. Was there too much

our expectations fair and realistic? Are

pressure on each athlete to succeed?

we setting our children up for failure by

Was it the end of the road for them if

expecting unrealistic results from them?

they didn’t win gold? How much family

Are our expectations personal or guided

disappointment (and, in some cases,

by what society deems to be “great.”

national disappointment) did they have

Win or lose, it's
how you play
the game that
counts.

to deal with? Is this fair?

Of course, we should encourage

kiddish

9

FAMILY MATTERS

All chidren are
accomplished
and unique in
their own way.

them to reach for the stars, to do their

world with reasonable expectations, that

best and to challenge themselves.

is an accomplishment, something to be

Sometimes, against all odds, they succeed

celebrated. That child should know that

– just like David and Goliath, Daniel in

we are proud of her hard work, effort

the lion’s den or the Macabees. When

and accomplishments and those parents

they do succeed, their self-esteem soars

should not feel embarrassed to share

and all is good.

this accomplishment.

However, if we expect them only to

It is true that all our children are

achieve at a very high standard every

accomplished in one way or another, so

time, we are setting them up for failure.

let’s be realistic about our expectations

They feel they have disappointed those

and cherish their accomplishments,

around them, their self-esteem wanes

building self-esteem and confidence

and all is not good. Is it fair for us to have

along the way. No matter what the rest of

unrealistic expectations of our children?

society deems to be success. ✿

It is easy to brag about their
achievements when they excel but what
about the child who normally struggles
with math and brings home a “B.” In a

Sue Penn is a mother of three, Education
Director at University Synagogue, president
of Jewish Reconstructionist Educators of
North America and a member of the Jewish
Educators Assembly.

WE WANT THEM
TO ACHIEVE AND
TO SUCCEED AND
TO WIN GOLD ALL
THE TIME. BUT IS
IT POSSIBLE FOR
EVERYONE TO BE
THE BEST?

10

LOCAL FOCUS

kiddish

Adding to
the Palette
Irvine Hebrew Day School Set to Open in the Fall.
BY LISA GRAJEWSKI, PSY.D.

A

ccording to Karin Hepner,

of your Jewish background. “Anyone

“Every child should be able

interested in this type of education

to access a Jewish education.”

[modern Orthodox foundation] can come

And, according to Hepner,

to this school – we welcome students with

Irvine Hebrew Day School (IHDS) will be
the school that is fully inclusive regardless

Irvine Hebrew Day
School will be a
school that is fully
inclusive regardless
of your Jewish
background.

open arms.”
What type of education is Hepner

kiddish

11

LOCAL FOCUS

talking about? IHDS will include a rich

Whether it is Torah, Hebrew,

and dynamic learning environment that

Geography or Mathematics, Board

incorporates Judaism, Torah, spirituality

Member Andy Elster sees the school as

and general studies. And those involved in
the school are “getting it right from the get
go.” IHDS is committed to excellence in all
areas of learning and views education as a
collaboration between teachers, students,
parents and the community. It is through
this partnership that challenges are seen

“adding to the palette – another flavor in
the Jewish Community.” And, says Jordan
Gross-Richmond, “This will be a place
where your children become the link to
continuing tradition.”
A new school, with a new vision,

as opportunities for growth, and successes

IHDS does not lose sight of the pioneers

are celebrated together. The goal of IHDS

of Jewish education in Orange County.

is to have a full classroom and exceed

Mr. Irving Gelman and Rabbi Yitzchok

academic expectations and instill a love
for Judaism and Israel.
For Tammy Keces, building IHDS has
been a “dream come true.” Keces is a longtime educator and Orange County’s only

Newman are seen as the pioneers of
Jewish education in Orange County by
all of those involved with IHDS. “They
created a garden within a dessert, and we

trainer in Certified Positive Discipline in

are honored and humbled to follow in

the classroom. She is now the Principal of

their footsteps . . . ” Says Hepner. ✿

IHDS and will provide secular education.
Positive Discipline is a program designed
to teach young people to become
responsible, respectful and resourceful
members of their communities. “It
teaches gratitude … ” says Hepner. “What
better way to express that gratitude then
learning about davening and Torah.”

Dr. Lisa Grajewski has been a contributing writer
for JLife since 2004. She is a former professional
in the Orange County Jewish community, with
over 10 years experience as a volunteer and
professional. Dr. Grajewski recently graduated
with a doctoral degree in Clinical Forensic
Psychology and is currently working toward
licensure with a private practice in Tustin.

Positive Discipline

★★★

Positive Discipline uses effective strategies to create engaging, supportive,
peaceful and caring classroom communities. Curriculum design and
implementation is grounded in the building blocks for communication:
conducting classroom meetings, differentiating learning, discipline methods
that focus on solutions and long-term learning, 21st century critical thinking
and problem solving skills.
To find out more about IHDS or to download an application, go to
www.irvinehebrewday.org. Look out for updates on enrollment and
information in future issues of Kiddish!

THIS WILL BE A
PLACE WHERE
YOUR CHILDREN
BECOME THE LINK
TO CONTINUING
TRADITION.”

12

LOCAL FOCUS

Celebrate
Israel
The 66th Independence Day Festival is just
around the corner.

There is
something for
everyone at
the 2014 Israeli
Expo. Come
join the fun!

kiddish

kiddish

13

LOCAL FOCUS

Let your personailty
shine with hands-on
family activities.

J

oin thousands of SoCal residents

GAMES & RIDES

for one of the O.C.'s most

A zipline, slot car racing, Xbox games,

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Israel Expo is the O.C.’s largest

trampoline, a laser tag maze, rock-climbing

community celebration of Israel,

wall, clowns and jugglers, arts and crafts,

drawing over 10,000 people of all faiths

balloon artists, airbrush face painting, an

and backgrounds to experience Israeli

inflatable slide and obstacles, a trackless

culture, history and values. Enjoy live

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kids’ activities, exhibits and much more.
Fun for all ages!
For 66 years, Israelis have reached

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We like you.

It’s ok if you like us too.

Join us on Facebook for news, updates and more.
Come and say hello. We’d love to hear from you.

www.ocjewishlife.com

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17

18

THE ARTS

kiddish

Changing
The World
One (dance) step at a time.
BY LISA GRAJEWSKI, PSY.D.

"The Swan Lake
Fusion" gives a
new twist to an
old favorite.

T

here are no ugly ducklings in
Idan Cohen and Noa Shiloh’s
version of Swan Lake. As a
matter of fact, "The Swan Lake

Fusion," a collaboration between the
Department of Dance of UCI’s Claire
Trevor School of the Arts and Israel
is using the beauty of dance to cross
cultural boundaries. The program fuses a
contemporary, Israeli-influenced version
(created by Cohen), an Asian / Chinese
inspired version by one of UCI’s assistant
professors in the dance department,
Tong Wang, and a traditional, European
interpretation by Department of Dance
lecturer Diane Diefenderfer.
But Shiloh, a solo dancer who has
created and performed with Israel’s major
dance companies and taught dance on
three continents, went beyond the stage
and, reached out to The Wooden Floor
in Santa Ana. In March, Shiloh taught

kiddish

19

THE ARTS

Dancers start out
coming a couple
days a week, but
end up coming
many more!

two master classes at the school and

college. Out performing their peers three-

brought a new approach to the school.

fold, students are part of a ripple effect

The Wooden Floor, which provides a 10-

that leads to leadership and success.

year journey for low income and Latino

"The Swan Lake Fusion"performance,

youth, begins in the third grade and

which is part of the partnership between

continues through graduation. Combining

UCI and The Rose Project, will debut in

academics, college preparation and social

the Myers Theater on the Samueli Jewish

services, Wooden Floor provides wrap-

Campus, 1 Federation Way, Irvine on

around services in addition to dance.

Wednesday, May 28 at 7:00 p.m.

“[Dancers] start out at two days a

To find out more about The Wooden

week, but end up [attending] four to six

Floor go to: thewoodenfloor.org. You can

days a week,” says Melanie Rios Glaser,

download video and school information

Artistic and Co-CEO. Bringing Shiloh to

by going to the magazine website at

the school created an opportunity that

ocjewishlife.com. ✿

provided exposure to forward-thinking
artists, and is the reason, says Glaser, “We
are seeing a change in the under served
youth we serve.”
The school will mark its own 10year journey this year by celebrating
100 percent of Wooden Floor students
graduating high school and enrolling in

Dr. Lisa Grajewski has been a contributing
writer for JLife since 2004. She is a former
professional in the Orange County Jewish
community, with over 10 years experience as
a volunteer and professional. Dr. Grajewski
recently graduated with a doctoral degree in
Clinical Forensic Psychology and is currently
working toward licensure with a private
practice in Tustin.

THE WOODEN FLOOR,
WHICH PROVIDES A
10-YEAR JOURNEY
FOR LOW-INCOME
AND LATINO YOUTH,
BEGINS IN THE
THIRD GRADE AND
CONTINUES THROUGH
GRADUATION.

20

FAMILY MATTERS

kiddish

JCC of Orange County
Celebrating brighter futures for our children.

S

unday, June 1 the JCC

Adrienne Matros shares “Our Celebration

Celebration Ball will celebrate

Ball honorees inspire, invigorate and allow

Brighter Futures for Our

the Merage JCC to accomplish more for

Children. Chaired by Adrienne

our children every day.”

Matros and Wendy Stark, the Celebration

Merage JCC’s preschool encompasses

Ball will honor the achievements of

Jewish values while offering unparalleled

CHOC Children’s Hospital of Orange

education, excellent programming and a

County; the JCC Preschool Expansion,

nurturing environment.

and its chairs, Jay Witzling and

All proceeds from the JCC

Scott Cross; and JCC’s own artiste

Celebration Ball support scholarships to

extraordinaire, Lynne Kaplan.

children, ensuring brighter futures for all.

Honorees exemplify the Merage JCC’s

Tickets for the gala are $250 per

mission to enrich Jewish identities and

person and available by calling the

create a vibrant Jewish community in

JCC at (949) 435-3400 or online at

Orange County. Celebration Ball co-chair

www.jccoc.org. ✿

As seen o
MSNBC.con
m

Take a walk
around the
neighborhood
Tails from the Fishbowl is a collection of animal portraits taken
by Rachel Bellinsky while walking her dog through their Southern
California neighborhood. This 72-page book features colorful,
charming images of a world where every pet has a room with a view.
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Humane Society.

didn’t last very long. It is now deemed
the “Family Bed” and every night is a
Pomeranian Slumber Party. When they
are not taking over furniture, they love to
take long walks and check out new dogfriendly places around the O.C. (Check
out the information on the new local Dog
Park "La Paws" in Mission Viejo on page
22). “Fenster” and “Edie” are the pride and
joy of Mody and Tracey Gorsky and live
in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.

Kosher Dog Contest
Our pets are definitely part of our
families and here at Kiddish magazine
we want to know what your four-legged
friends are up to. Please send a picture
of your pooch to pics@mydogbowl.com
and tell us what they love to do in our
wonderful Orange County neighborhood
(a picture at the location is even better).
Kitties are welcome too! We'll pick a
winner each month, put their picture
in the magazine and provide a
wonderful treat for them courtesy of
My Dog Bowl. ✿

Fenster and Edie

22

FAMILY FUN

kiddish

New In the OC
The La Paws Dog Park

This handsome
devil got all
spruced up for the
grand opening.

T

he Mission Viejo Dog Park cel-

a minimal impact on the environment.

ebrated its grand opening on

So if you are looking for a fun new place

Saturday April 12th and was

to take your family (the furry members

greeted to a rousing round of

included) head on down to the new

furry approval. Little dogs, big dogs and

park and create some lasting memories

those that are in between all “woofed”

of your own.

it up and celebrated having a special
place just for them.
The six-acre park has three acres

Hours and Location
The Mission Viejo Dog Park is lo-

of slopes, three acres of usable area

cated at 25100 Felipe Road just south

for dogs to run, and a 40-car parking

of Gilleran Park. The park is open

lot and a plaza for special events and

from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.. The park

a walking trail that takes advantage of

will be closed on Thursdays from 8:00

the wonderful Arroyo views. The dog

a.m. until 1:00 p.m. for weekly turf

park was also specially designed to have

maintenance. ✿

HEAD ON DOWN
TO THE NEW PARK
AND CREATE
SOME LASTING
MEMORIES OF
YOUR OWN.

7. CENTRAL SULCAS
Is said to have a map
of the body on each
side that matches
the other side.

6. MEDULLA
Contains many small
nuclei involved in
a wide variety of
sensory functions.

2. OCCIPITAL LOBE
Located at the back
of the brain and
is associated with
visual stimuli.

3. PONS
Contains nuclei
that control sleep,
respiration and
swallowing.
8. FRONTAL LOBE
One of the four
major lobes of the
cerebral cortex in
the brain.

4. CEREBELLUM
Modulates the
outputs of other
brain systems to
make them precise.
9. SYLVIAN FISSURE
A deep indention
that divides
the lobes of the
human brain.

5. TEMPORAL LOBE
Important for
interpreting sounds
and the language
we hear.
10. PARIETAL LOBE
Associated with
processing tactile
sensory information
such as pressure.

6
FRONTAL
LOBE
MEDULLA

3

4

PREFRONTAL
LOBE

5
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F E AT U R E S

UNITED IN EXCELLENCE
The President of Ben-Gurion University of
the Negev and the Chancellor of the University of
California, Irvine signed a general Memorandum of
Understanding in 2012, noting the similarities between
the two universities. UC Irvine and BGU were founded
within five years of each other in the late 1960s and
now boast world-class researchers, laboratories and
student bodies of more than 20,000.
UC Irvine Chancellor Dr. Michael Drake and BGU
President Prof. Rivka Carmi discussed the fields in

which they hoped to encourage collaboration and
faculty exchanges, including hydrology, earth sciences,
nanotechnology and more. The two compared the
consistent rise of each university despite the global
financial crisis and noted the role their universities play
in developing the region where they are located.
According to Carmi, “The things we are achieving
are very similar. Maybe as smaller, younger universities,
we don’t take ourselves for granted and work harder
to achieve.” A

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38 MAY 2014 |

Jlife

Support our dog’s
Hebrew education!
Students Give the Gift of Sight to Israeli Blind
Students are urged to help sponsor a puppy,
either as a class Tzedakah Project, or as a
Mitzvah Project for their Bar or
Bat Mitzvah, to assist blind
Israeli veterans and civilians
in regaining their lives.

For information call 215-343-9100

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www.israelguidedog.org
Jlife

| MAY 2014 39

F E AT U R E S

ALIYAH
Hierarchy in the Homeland
BY MERAV CEREN

ALIYAH
is the
immigration
of Jews from
the diaspora
to the land of
Israel (Eretz
Yisrael). Also
defined as
“the act of
going up.”

40 MAY 2014 |

Jlife

ANY JEWISH DAY school or Zionist literature teaches a basic narrative of the inception
of Israel: from the ashes of history, the Jewish
people rose to begin again in the land of their
forefathers. And today, for the first time in
millennia, we have a grand experiment – the
Jewish state. And we are asked – how will the
Jewish people govern themselves, and how will
each of us contribute to the Jewish collective?
Traditionally, the response has been simple:
move to Israel.
Aliyah, the immigration and attainment of
citizenship by a Jewish person under the Right
of Return, is considered by many Jewish communities as one of the highest pursuits of any
Jewish person. But with the drive to immigrate to Israel comes judgment against those
who do not make the move, or at least do not
spend some time in the country. The perception that a Jew is only as good as the place in
which they live is divisive to the Jewish community at large, and we should rethink our
viewpoints on how we see those who choose
the Diaspora and, even more important, those
who spend some time in Israel, but choose to
return to America.
Moving back to Israel is the most important
step I took as a young adult. It was the right
decision for me, though I am the most secular
kind of secular Jew. But once I moved to Israel
and began to meet other Jews from North
America, I learned of an inherent hierarchy
in which the community of American Jews
in Israel tends to view the Jewish people. At
the top sit those who have made aliyah and
intend to stay permanently; next, those who
had come to Israel but “couldn’t hack it” and
returned home; and at the bottom of the
totem pole reside those who never intend to
leave the Diaspora.

This hierarchy contributes to divisions
between those of us who’ve moved to Israel
and our friends back home, and that isn’t fair
to either side of that equation. It’s become
something of a tradition: every friend who
visits me in Israel, without fail, insists on
beginning a conversation in which he (or she)
tells me in a hushed voice filled with shame
and fear how desperately he wishes that moving to Israel were feasible for him, that he
really wants to, but it’s not right for him, not
right now. I don’t think a single one of them
believes me when I say that I understand and
respect their life decisions, and I’d prefer they
not venerate mine.
There is hope that some organizations are
beginning to understand that a strong Jewish
community, wherever it is, is essential for the
continuation of the Jewish people. Back in
2010, the Jewish Agency, the traditional coordinator for aliyah, caused uproar when it chose
to pivot its new strategy from actively building
the State of Israel to building strong Jewish
communities in the Diaspora. The backlash
against this new direction was immediate
and fiery. In a JPost article published shortly
after the organization announced its new mission statement, Haviv Rettig Gur quoted an
unnamed lay person who went as far as to say,
“First they [the Jewish Agency] sold off aliyah
to Nefesh B’Nefesh [the non-profit responsible
for facilitating aliyah for North Americans],
and now they’re abandoning it altogether
because they’ve written it off as impossible.” But the Jewish Agency countered that it
was responding to “declining Jewish solidarity, the weak sense of belonging to the Jewish
People and the lack of meaningful connections
between Israelis and world Jewry.” In its logic,
aliyah will not happen if the Diaspora contin-

F E AT U R E S

The Jewish
Agency is
taking a new
view of aliyah.

ues to feel disconnected and alienated from its
Israeli brethren. They have the right of it, and
we should encourage all Jewish individuals to
follow their own paths, whether that means
moving to Israel, spending a couple years here,
coming for visits, or living fulfilling, Jewish
lives in the Diaspora and never coming to visit.
We cannot continue to see aliyah as something to judge our fellow Jews by. We need
a new understanding of what it means to
grow the Jewish state. I encourage all who are
interested to come, even if it’s “only” for a few
years. Many of the individuals I have met in
my years here were not here permanently, but
they returned to their hometowns and encouraged others to come. While here, they do
research, volunteer within Israel’s low-income
and refugee communities, or attend ulpan
and keep Hebrew alive for another generation
(to name just a few ways in which these indi-

viduals contribute substantively to the Jewish
State). But many who come here feel trapped,
as though leaving is failing. I hope that some
can come and feel no qualms or twinges of
guilt if they choose to return home. We, all
Jews, should stop behaving as though coming
to Israel only counts if you stay forever. The
Jewish people were not meant to be divided
over the state of Israel. Jews come in so many
stripes and attempting to paint us all with one
brush, and say there is only one place that is
appropriate for us to live is hyperbolic. Our
grand experiment is meant to be a place of
refuge, a guarantee that there will always be a
place for Jews. It can only continue to be so if
it is welcoming to everyone, for however long
each individual decides to take advantage of it.
Merav Ceren is a contributing writer to
JLife Magazine.

We cannot continue
to see aliyah as
something to judge
our fellow Jews by.
Jlife

An Unorthodox Romance
A new novel by Orange County’s Brenda Barrie has just been published by Gray
Matter Imprints of Irvine. An Unorthodox Romance is Barrie’s third contemporary
Jewish novel, featuring some of the same characters who appeared in her earlier
works, The Binding and The Rabbi’s Husband.

The Binding is about three men who are the sons of Holocaust survivors. The
Rabbi’s Husband addresses the concerns of women rabbis working in a profession
that was exclusively male for such a long time. An Unorthodox Romance, which
begins and ends right here in Orange County, is set mainly in Israel and concerns
the inequities affecting marriage in Israel.
“I didn’t set out to write ‘issue novels,’” says the author, “but to tell a good story.”
Barrie is quick to point out that hers is not a novel about agunot, “chained women”
whose husbands will not issue them a religious divorce according to Jewish Law.
Barrie, originally from Canada, has lived and worked in the professional Jewish
community for Federations, synagogues and other Jewish organizations in her
hometowns of Winnipeg, Minneapolis, Baltimore and now Orange County.
Barrie’s book was officially launched late in April in Winnipeg where her books
have always topped the best seller list and where her children and many of her
grandchildren live. There was also a U.S. launch in Minneapolis, and there will be
another launch in May in Orange County.
Brenda Barrie and her husband, Sid Bursten, live in Laguna Woods, Calif.
Continued on page 44
42 MAY 2014 |

Jlife

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Jlife

| MAY 2014 43

F E AT U R E S
Continued from page 42

SOCIETYROUNDUP

FACES OF THE COMMUNITY | MAY 2014

hundreds of TV and radio shows, and she was a regular on
the popular “Steve Allen Show.”
The book is about, as she says, “Graying and Giggling in the
age of Googling.”
The book runs the gamut of humorous scenarios, from
weight loss to senior romance, from how to stop smoking to
cold remedies. It is truly a barrel of laughs. Here is a little taste
of how the Marshall plan works to tickle your funny bone:
“Never deny any type of emotional pain or it will show up
elsewhere on the body or in a car crash or other mishaps.”
On “girth control,” her mind tries to negotiate a truce with
her body: “MIND: How about no more scolding? I won’t
remind you a moment on your lips is forever on your hips,
thighs and chins, both of them. And I promise not to say
you are a bad person when you finish the kid’s leftover
dinner each night…” BODY: Good. Because the more you
yelled, the worse I felt, and the worse I felt the more I ate.
I am convinced you are sincere in your wish to reach a
lasting ‘sveltness.’ Let’s celebrate with a brief interruption in
our talks and order pizza.”
On clutter: “While I have a place for everything, I do not
really know where that place is. I long for the day when
every item in the universe has its own beeper that I can
click on to appear in the room that I am in.”
On car mechanics, Marshall describes her visit to a car
repair shop:
Mechanic: “Well it really hurts me to tell you this, Miss,”
said the mechanic, “but you have diminishing pressure.
You appear to have corrosion around your terminals and
obviously your condenser is shot to hell.”

Dancin’ with the Scars

Marshall: “I thought he was terribly rude and wondered
why he didn’t also mention my weight gain while he was
insulting me.” Then, she asked, “What about the car?”

While you are making giant strides to actually act upon your
New Year resolutions, there is a tendency to feel twinges of
guilt when some of them seem to fall by the wayside during
the first few weeks and months. Your guilt might even lead
to depressing and negative thoughts.

Life hasn’t always been a bowl of cherries for Marshall.
She’s had her share of pits, but she continues to follow her
“mission statement”:

BY LES GOLDBERG

What’s the solution? Try laughing.
Get your hands on a relatively new book, Dancin’
Schmancin’ with the Scars: Finding the Humor No Matter
What!, by author and celebrity award-winning humorist
Jan Marshall, a Laguna Hills resident and founder of the
International Humor and Healing Institute. Her resume
includes hosting her own TV series and appearances on

44 MAY 2014 |

Jlife

“Humor as a universal language promotes rapport among
individuals. It has the potential, along with art, athletics and
music, in creating a liaison between people, perhaps the
ultimate common denominator. Through shared laughter we
will bring about our global purpose of caring for one another.”
One of Marshall’s greatest fans throughout the years is
Phyllis Diller, pioneer stand-up comedienne, who said: “Jan’s
writing is so full of humor and zest for living. Her book
literally sings.” A

Laguna Playhouse

Jlife

| MAY 2014 45

News & Jews
OC JEWISH SCENE | MAY 2014

Israel: Past
And Present

10 Years
With Rabbi
Nancy Myers

Attend four Thursday evenings,
May 8 to 29, with renowned professors Dr. Jeffrey Blutinger and Dr.
Glen Yago: “Build and Be Rebuilt
While Fighting and Being Fought:
The Creation of the State of Israel
and the Wars Over its Existence”
(May 8): “The Invisible Problem
That Everyone Saw: Israel and the
Rise of Palestinian Identity” (May
15): “The “Fossil” Bursts into Life:
the Continual Conflict Over the
Place of Religion in Israeli Society”
(May 22): “Israel’s Transition from
StartUp Nation to Global Nation”
(May 29). For more information,
call the JCC at (949) 435-3400.

On May 9, Temple Beth David
of Westminster will honor
Rabbi Nancy Myers and her
contributions as Spiritual Leader
of the synagogue starting at
5:30 p.m. She received her B.A.
in philosophy at Binghamton
University, N.Y. in 1991. After
college, she was accepted at
Hebrew Union College-Jewish
Institute of Religion, where she
received her Masters of Hebrew
Letters, and was ordained as a
rabbi in New York City in 1997.
She became Temple Beth David’s
Spiritual Leader in 2004. To find
out more information, place an ad,
or become an event sponsor, call
(714) 892-6623.

Remembering
Anne Frank
The Merage Jewish Community Center (JCC) brought
a national exhibit straight from The Anne Frank
Center in New York City. Volunteer docents provided
free tours of the exhibit that included family photos,
materials, images and story details that haven’t been
widely available before. “For the first time, we got a
fuller picture of what was happening at the time and
what eventually happened to Anne, her family and the
others in the annex,” says Yael Brudner, Cultural Arts
Director at the Jewish Community Center.

University Synagogue
to Honor Educators
On May 17, University Synagogue will honor University Synagogue
Education Director Sue Penn and Pre-School Director Heidi Kahn for their
dedication and contribution to educating synagogue youth. Taking advantage of the honorees’ South African roots, the gala will transform the
beautiful Island Hotel in Newport Beach into an African evening filled with
song, dance and celebration. To find out more about the gala, become a
sponsor, or to place an ad, call (949) 553-3535.
46 MAY 2014 |

Jlife

Jlife

| MAY 2014 47

F E AT U R E S

Sitting Shiva:
The 7-Day Salute
Modern-day Mourning

Dear N.:

your question betrays a lack
Irving, my beloved husband of of understanding of an impor34 years, was taken from us tant basic principle. You ask,
just yesterday. His system was “Who should I invite?” but that
is the not the right
ravaged by the merquestion. The right
cury poisoning he
question is, “whom
Facebook,
developed from eatshould I invite?”
YOU’D
ing too much gefilte

LAUGHING IT OFF IN
ORANGE COUNTY

Our sages have
THINK
fish. (Not my hometaught that the
made gefilte fish,
AJew
God forbid. My sisINVENTED practice of shiva
dates back to the
ter brought it over. It
IT
earliest days of the
looked a little funny
Jewish people. But,
but what, I shouldn’t
serve it at my Seder table? She let’s face it, in the old country, when somebody died it
would be furious!)
wasn’t exactly a secret. Mottel
I will miss my Irving for the rest
would tell Shayndl who would
of my days. But first things first:
tell Menachem who wouldn’t
who should I invite to the shiva
tell you, because you and he
and what should I serve?
haven’t spoken since that ganif
— Bereft Bubbe
cheated you at cards, but he
did tell Dovid who told Golde
who told you. (Little known
Dear Bereft:
fact: eventually, this rapid
First, my condolences on your transmission of information
loss. As Jews around the world became known as “going viral.”
say when they hear of a death, If somebody went from a virus,
baruch dayan emet, which everybody in the shtetl got the
means, “Blessed is the Lord who news within minutes.)
took that other poor schmuck In modern times, we are blessed
instead of me.”
with Facebook, a sophisticated
Now to your issue. I’m afraid

48 MAY 2014 |

Jlife

electronic platform for publish-

F E AT U R E S

ing death announcements for
Jews worldwide. For this purpose Facebook is so well-suited, you’d think a Jew invented
it. One post to the Facebook
wall of the recently departed,
and all of his “friends” will
learn the tragic news instantly,
and without the awkwardness
of having to come up with
something comforting to say.
Inexplicably, some people may
not use Facebook. So, to maximize attendance, have your sister (if you’re still speaking to
her) call the town yenta and tell
her confidentially that you’re
having a small, exclusive shiva
with only your closest friends. If
you whisper it, they will come.
The rules surrounding shiva can
be daunting, which is why you
ought to ignore them entirely.
You’re in mourning – you don’t
have enough to worry about
already? You’ll want to lay out
your nicest silverware, and wear
something attractive, though it
is best if you avoid a festive look,
as people may talk. (Flowers are
always nice; often one of the
departed’s goyische friends will
have thoughtfully sent some
along. But balloons should definitely be avoided.) Remember:
unless Irving had a whole life
policy (such a provider!), or
you are blissfully unaware that
even as we speak, the president
is stealing your social security
to pay for breast implants for
schnorrers who haven’t worked
a day in their pitiful lives, it’s
never too early to think about
remarriage. Odds are that your

A JEWISH
MAN WALKS
INTO A
BAR...

Planning the shiva menu is always a challenge.

next suitor is somebody you
already know, which means he
is likely to visit during shiva.
Make a nice impression.
Planning the shiva menu is
always a challenge. Sure, there
are those who would say that
it is up to the friends of the
mourner to provide the food at
the Meal of Consolation. That
it is unfair (and contrary to
centuries of tradition) to expect
the newly bereaved to shop and
cook for themselves, much less
for dozens of condolence callers.
That when comforting a friend
in a time of loss one should not
be motivated primarily by the
smorgasbord that awaits.
To such puritans I say: narishkeit! Everything from the casket
to the service to the shiva is a

reflection of the depth of your
feelings for the recently departed. Does a box of Entenmann’s
and some bagels (without lox,
yet) say “this is somebody I
loved?” Of course not. You
wouldn’t bury Irving in a cardboard box; don’t serve your
shiva guests from one either.
Finally, for such a quintessentially Jewish occasion, you
should be sure to keep the
dietary laws in mind. If you
are putting out deli meats, for
example, it’s important that you
not offer a dairy dessert until
after the rabbi has left. And,
Bereft, in your particular case,
I think I would avoid serving
the fish.

Moshe was
talking to his
psychiatrist.
“I had a weird
dream recently,”
he says. “I saw
my mother but
then I noticed
she had your
face. I found this
so worrying that
I immediately
awoke and
couldn’t get
back to sleep. I
just stayed there
thinking about it
until 7 a.m. Then,
I got up, made
myself a slice of
toast and some
coffee and came
straight here.
What do you
think this dream
means?”
The psychiatrist
kept silent for
some time,
then said, “One
slice of toast
and coffee? Do
you call that a
breakfast?”

— N. Troyer

Jlife

| MAY 2014 49

concert
highlights
ROGER CLYNE
AND THE
PEACEMAKERS
Performing at the Coach
House on May 8, The
Peacemakers are known
to cross many different
and eclectic genres. As
members of the 90s band,
The Refreshments, Clyne and
drummer Paul “P.H.” Naffah
regrouped and set out under
the moniker Roger Clyne and
the Peacemakers. Clyne and
Naffah were originally joined
by former Gin Blossom Scott
Johnson, who left to rejoin his
former band in 2002.

MORRISSEY
English singer and lyricist Steven Patrick
Morrissey will be playing an intimate
performance at the Observatory in Santa Ana
on May 8. He rose to prominence in the 80s
as the lyricist and vocalist of the band, The
Smiths. Morrissey began a solo career in 1987,
making the top ten of the UK Singles Chart
on ten occasions. Widely regarded as an
innovator in the indie music scene, Morrissey
is considered one of the most important music
figures in Western popular culture from the last
20 years.

Mickey Avalon (born Yeshe
Perl) is an American rapper
from Hollywood and will be
playing at the Coach House in
San Juan Capistrano on June
6. He was raised in a Jewish
family and had a turbulent
childhood. He was befriended
by ex-MTV VJ Simon Rex,
who encouraged Avalon to
rap and collaborated with
him. The two began passing
out demos to Hollywood
clubs and soon developed a
following among fans of the
Santa Cruz nightclub scene.

If something
tastes good
baked, fried,
sautéed,
steamed or even
raw, it probably
tastes even
better grilled.

GRILL IT!
Lag B’Omer is a minor holiday
with major culinary possibilities.
BY JUDY BART KANCIGOR

‘TIS THE SEASON for counting. And, sad
to say, mourning. Lag B’Omer, literally the
33rd day of the counting of the Omer, is
the one oasis of joy in the 49-day period of
mourning between Passover and Shavu’ot,
falling this year at sundown on May 17.
Counting the Omer refers to counting
the days between the barley offering at
the Temple and the wheat offering on
Shavu’ot. (Stay with me here. Culinary possibilities will ensue.) The counting reminds
us that our redemption from slavery, commemorated on Passover, was not complete
until we received the Torah, commemorated on Shavu’ot.
Although considered a “minor” holiday,
Lag B’Omer is celebrated joyfully in Israel
with bonfires and picnics, where grilled and

roasted skewered meat and vegetables
are popular. And when it comes to grilling, Steven Raichlen wrote the book – 28
books, really, including the international
best sellers How to Grill, Barbecue Bible
and Planet Barbecue. Translated into 15
languages, Raichlen’s books have won five
James Beard Awards and three IACP-Julia
Child Awards and have sold more than 4
million copies. Dubbed the “Gladiator of
Grilling” by Oprah, Raichlen also hosts the
PBS shows “Primal Grill” and “Barbecue
University.”
“If something tastes good baked, fried,
sautéed, steamed or even raw,” he says, “it
probably tastes even better grilled.” Even
our Jewish sacred cows. “We are probably
the only Jewish family in Miami to barbe-

cue its brisket instead of braising it in the
oven with dried fruits,” he said. “We rub it
with cumin, paprika, garlic, salt and pepper and smoke it for six hours. It’s amazing
barbecue, the way God meant for you to
eat it!”
Raichlen credits his mom, who was in
charge of the grill when he was growing
up, with lighting his passion for grilling.
“Her approach to grilling was robust if not
terrifying,” he recalled. “She’d light the
grill in a Vesuvian whomp with gasoline –
do not try this at home – and char slabs of
steak until coal black on the outside and
just shy of still mooing inside. She called
this ‘Pittsburgh rare.’”
For Planet Barbecue alone, Raichlen
traveled over six continents and 60 countries.
“The Middle East is one of the real
hotbeds of grilling expertise,” he noted.
“Barbecue is not part of the Ashkenazi
tradition. I don’t ever remember watching
my grandfather grill, for example. None of
the great cooks of that generation knew
anything from fire cooking, but in Israel it’s
very much a part of their culture.”
When you think of grilling, you think
meat – burgers, steak, even chicken – but
don’t ignore the endless possibilities of
veggies on the grill. Raichlen’s inspiration for his “Grilled Eggplant Salad with
Jerusalem Flavors,” a delightful dairy
dish, is the Eggplant Carpaccio served at
Arcadia in Jerusalem. “You’ll recognize it as
a deconstructed, reconstructed version of
the grilled eggplant dips and salads prevalent throughout the region,” he writes,
“[with] fire-charred eggplant counter-pointed by smoky tomato sauce, nutty tahini
(sesame seed paste), creamy yogurt and
crunchy walnuts. Think of it as the Middle
East on a salad plate.”

Jlife

| MAY 2014 53

A&E

The Middle East is one of the
real hotbeds of grilling expertise.
Saffron-Lemon
Shish Kebabs
FOR THE LAMB AND MARINADE:

6 Basting mixture: Crumble saffron into
small bowl. Add water and let stand 5 minutes. Place margarine and lemon juice in
small non-reactive saucepan. Add saffron
water; cook over medium-low heat until
melted, about 3 minutes. Season with pepper to taste.

each of the 4 skewers, placing pieces of
onion and bell pepper between them. Place
kebabs on hot grate and grill until cooked
to taste, 2 to 3 minutes per side (8 to 12
minutes in all) for medium-rare. Generously
season kebabs with salt and pepper as they
grill; baste with the saffron-butter mixture.

8 Transfer kebabs to a platter. Never try to
eat lamb and vegetables directly off skewer,
or you might burn your lips. Rather, slide
them off skewer onto your plate.
Source: Adapted from How to Grill
(Workman) by Steven Raichlen

2 Brush and oil grill grate. Arrange eggplants and tomatoes on hot grate; grill until
skins are blackened; 3 to 4 minutes per
side, 9 to 12 minutes in all for eggplants
and about 2 minutes per side, 6 to 8 minutes in all for tomatoes. Cook eggplants
completely, until easily pierced with skewer.
Cook tomatoes until charred on outside but
raw inside. Transfer grilled eggplants and
tomatoes to aluminum foil pan to cool.
3 Using paring knife, scrape any really

burned skin off tomatoes; a few black spots
will add flavor. Puree tomatoes in food
processor. Add olive oil and 1 tablespoon
of lemon juice. Taste for seasoning, adding
salt and pepper to taste and more lemon
juice as necessary; sauce should be highly
seasoned. Set tomato sauce aside.

4 Place garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt in
mixing bowl; mash to a paste with back of
wooden spoon. Whisk in tahini. Whisk in 1/4
cup water (the sauce will thin), followed by 2
tablespoons lemon juice (sauce will thicken).
Taste for seasoning, adding more lemon
juice and/or salt as necessary.
5 Using paring knife, scrape any really
burned skin off eggplants; cut flesh into
1/2-inch dice. Season eggplant with salt and
pepper to taste.
6 To assemble, spoon pools of tomato
sauce on 4 plates or a platter. Mound eggplant in center. Spoon circles (puddles) of
tahini sauce on the tomato sauce around
the eggplant. Spoon yogurt over eggplant
and top with walnuts and parsley. Serve at
once with pita bread.
Source: Planet Barbecue (Workman)
by Steven Raichlen

Jlife Food Editor Judy Bart Kancigor is the
author of Cooking Jewish (Workman) and The
Perfect Passover Cookbook (an e-book short
from Workman), a columnist and feature writer
for the Orange County Register and other
publications and can be found on the web
at www.cookingjewish.com.

Jlife

| MAY 2014 55

PROFILE

With this project,
Raichel seeks to
express a different
side of the state
of Israel.

COLLECTIVE
SOUNDS
The Idan Raichel Project—more than just a project.
BY DEBORAH LEWIS

IT TAKES A moment to recognize Idan
Raichel without his long dreadlocks wrapped
in a turban. And yet, with or without his signature set of locks, Raichel continues to showcase
his talents by creating music that is even more
distinct than his appearance. In 2003, heads
began to turn, but not because of his sense in
fashion. With its combination of Hebrew and
Amharic lyrics (a language of Ethiopia), the
56 MAY 2014 |

Jlife

song “Bo’ee” became a hit as it aired on Israel’s
radio stations. This song would help Idan forever change Israeli pop music.
Don’t let the name The Idan Raichel Project
fool you. Raichel is not the central talent
or “front man” behind his group. The Idan
Raichel Project is more than just a group.
It’s a collective of musicians from different
backgrounds bringing a variety of cultures

and talents to the Project. With this project,
Raichel seeks to express a different side of
the state of Israel, a side full of diversity. The
lyrics of his songs are mainly in Hebrew, but
sprinkled throughout are Arabic, Swahili,
Spanish, Hindi and Creole Portuguese. At
least a hundred singers from different countries and cultures have collaborated with The
Idan Raichel Project. According to his biogra-

PROFILE

It does not matter if people
within the group have
opposing cultural, political
or religious views.
— IDAN RAICHEL

phy on idanraichelproject.com, Raichel wants to highlight the diversity of Israel and break “down barriers between people of different
backgrounds and beliefs.” It does not matter if people within the
group have opposing cultural, political or religious views. All that
matters for the Project is that they produce great music reflecting
the egalitarian structure of the collective.
Even though Raichel wants the music he produces to show that
his homeland is more than just a Jewish State, it is an Israeli State,
inspiration for the songs of the Project comes from Hebraic texts.
In an interview with Raphael Minder for the New York Times,
Raichel explains his reason for doing so: “I use the Bible because
all the most important and beautiful things have already been
said…There is simply no greater love song than what you find in
the Book of Psalms.” Many of the Project’s songs incorporate the
book of Psalms, such as a track from the Project’s second album,
“Mi’Ma’amakim,” which references Psalm 130. Despite criticism
from Orthodox Jews, Raichel feels that prayers, similar to customs,
should be contemporized.
While he is spreading the message of peace through The Idan
Raichel Project, Raichel is also working on other collaborations. Most
notable is a joint album with GRAMMY winner India Arie. One of
their songs, “Gift of Acceptance,” is a beautifully performed song
about tolerance and accepting each other’s differences.
After releasing its fourth album, “Quarter to Six” in 2013, The
Idan Raichel Project is still on tour. The Project will be in Los Angeles
for Israel’s Independence Day. This day is celebrated by Jews everywhere, and Southern California is no different. The Project will take
the main stage at the Celebrate Israel Festival at Rancho Park on
May 18. Whereas Idan Raichel calls Israel home, one of the members of his opening act is a native of Southern California. Nachum
Peterseil and Yasha Gruzman, a duo from Los Angeles and Toronto,
comprise the band Automatic Toys. Their style of music can best be
described as electronic soul. While the majority of their songs are in
English, a few of their lyrics are written in Hebrew. Last month, the
band performed at The Mint, a famous music venue also located in
Los Angeles. Their next performance will be opening for The Idan
Raichel Project. Bo’ee (come with me) to support our local band as
well as an internationally acclaimed group as we celebrate Israel’s
Independence Day! A

LOOKING TO LEASE
A LUXURY HOME
IN NELLIE GAIL?
Call for an appointment!

Deborah Lewis recently graduated from the University of California,
Irvine with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a minor in Jewish Studies.
Starting this fall, she will be pursuing a Masters degree in Library
and Information Science with an emphasis in Archival Studies at the
University of California, Los Angeles.

IMAGINE 1,500 JEWISH young adults
from across North America, put them in a
high-caliber hotel in New Orleans (arguably
the most vibrant, festive and chaotic city in
the country) for a week of connecting to
Judaism and their community. Sound like a
wonderful idea?
It’s already been done. TribeFest 2014
took center stage, surpassing all expectations and astonishing each participant
by its immense organization, exceptional
Purim parties and vast opportunities for
self-growth and exploration.
TribeFest found initial success in Las
Vegas in 2011. Through compelling presentations by dynamic Jewish leaders, com58 MAY 2014 |

Jlife

munity service projects, networking with
diverse people and a unique opportunity to
discover Judaism, TribeFest offered everything imaginable.
Three years later, Tribefest has continued
its recipe for success with politics, religion,
entertainment, music, art and the numberone thing on every Jews’ mind through out
the three-day event, food!
Although people likely left feeling equally
fulfilled by experiencing the absurd quantities of delicious Kosher food that sent enticing aromas down the Mississippi River, it
didn’t hurt to add educational and spiritual
elements that define TribeFest as a leader in
conferences for young Jewish adults.

This year’s event featured two keynote
speakers, Joshua Malina, a co-star on ABC’s
hit drama “Scandal,” and Doug Ulman,
President and CEO of LIVESTRONG. Each
speaker explained the importance of Judaism
in his own life.
Guests also received a surprise musical
performance by Ben Platt, a cast member of
“The Book of Mormon,”who rose to fame in
the film “Pitch Perfect.”
For “TribeFesters,” the enlightening material expanded further than the affluent celebrities and influential speakers.
The key ingredient to TribeFest’s success
was the innovative minds of its participants.
Without unconventional and revolutionary

PROFILE

The key ingredient to
TribeFest’s success was
the innovative minds of its
participants.

thinking, the information that came from the presenters could
have been overlooked. Controversial content such as feminism,
social justice, and ignorance and hatred toward Israel presented an
opportunity for participants to yield further thought and discussion amongst themselves.
A notable aspect of Tribefest, although not blatantly marketed,
was a common theme directed towards the younger demographic
regarding “Fruitfulness and Multiplication.”
The “gentle nudge” (aggressive shove) to schmooze and contribute to the growth of our Jewish population (not letting any eggs
age out) was readily apparent. Perhaps some souls were connected.
Perhaps future romance had been sparked. Only time will tell
(time being about nine months). After all, two of Tribefest’s major
sponsors were JDate, the online Jewish Yente, and Pfizer, the creator of Viagra. Ironic? Perhaps. Intentional? 100%. Regardless of
“true intentions,” Tribefest served its participants in a manner in
which every Jewish mother would appreciate.
It wasn’t the long “Jewish Goodbyes” (typically resulting in
20 minutes of conversation while standing in a community
circle before people realize they’re hungry) that got people to
leave Tribefest. Participants were eager to leave 500 Canal Street
and feed their hunger for more Judaism by hurrying back to
their respective communities and implementing the knowledge
acquired from meaningful conversations and captivating lectures.
After a long weekend in Louisiana where gumbo and Po-boy
are culture, bourbon is both a drink and a destination and sleep
wasn’t the top priority of anybody in attendance, there was certainly one thing to be noted. A group of Jews isn’t a community
by simply calling itself a community. It takes work! Fortunately,
the koakh and chutzpah of 1,500 young Jews concentrated in one
room proved that they are the future of Judaism, ready to work for
a stronger community and eager to fight for the continuation of
a heritage often viewed as a hindrance to society by the majority
of the world.
For those in fear of the younger generation losing touch with
religiosity, don’t worry. We will find time to study Torah and
over-feed our kids. For now, it seems that the vast majority of our
passionate Jewish leaders have their sights set on building a community through collaboration and education.
With an overall desire to continue being the strongest group of
people in the world, many would say we have our work cut out
for us. Those who attended Tribefest would argue that this is just
the beginning of a bright Jewish future. A

How to Fund
In-Home Care

A

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or visit www.ReverseWithLinda.com

Adam Chester is a contributing writer to JLife magazine.

Jlife

| MAY 2014 59

LIFESTYLE

TRIBES & FAMILIES The morning after a successful Nefesh
Minyan Shabbat, a NextGen delegation of 20 from OC traveled
to New Orleans to join 1,500 other Jewish young adults for
the annual Jewish Federations of North America’s TribeFest.
And while our OC TribeFest delegation was getting an extra
southern dose of ruach this month, Shalom Family kept it local
by celebrating Passover with TVT at Passover Palooza and
taking a trip to Pretend City Children’s Museum. NextGen and
Shalom Family connect young adults and families with young
children to each other and to Jewish OC. For more info, contact
Adam Chester at NextGen@jffs.org or Stephanie Epstein at
ShalomFamily@jffs.org or call (949) 435-3484.
TOP LEFT: Fayth Mahler with daughter Mikayla
TOP RIGHT: Samantha Fink, Eric Feldman, Chaim Ore and
Sabrina Ore
MIDDLE LEFT: Ma’ayan B. at Passover Palooza
MIDDLE RIGHT: Jennifer Silvers with her son Lucas
BOTTOM RIGHT: Nir Ofer, Adam Chester and Mike Gold

ORANGE COUNTY’S
JEWISH HISTORY
Germain Packing House is a Lively Place
BY DALIA TAFT

EUGENE GERMAIN WAS born to a
Jewish family in Switzerland in 1849
and immigrated to the U.S. in 1868. He
arrived on the West Coast two years
later and opened a restaurant, but
soon became much more successful in
the packing and shipping of produce.
In the late 1880s, he purchased a large
lot in Santa Ana in order to build a
packing house for his growing company. Located at what is now 701 E. Fruit
St., the packing house, at its height,
was the largest in Southern California.
On June 29, 1895 the Los Angeles

Herald reported that “The Germain
packing house is a lively place just now.
Fruit packing is being pushed to the
extent of their ability.” The company
operated in Santa Ana until 1900, at
which time it was sold to another company and continued to function well
into the 20th century.
Seen below: The Germain Fruit Co.
packing house, with apricots drying in
the foreground, Santa Ana, c. 1900.
Eugene Germain, c. 1890.

BLOGOSPHERE
Jlife wants to acknowledge some of
the interesting blogs related to the
Jewish community. Enjoy!
If we’re just like everybody else,
what are we for? If we can’t add
Jewish insights, if we can’t raise
the tone of the conversation, if
we can’t bring to bear Jewish
challenges, then who’s going to
do that? – Clive Lawton

excerpted.info
Even in the midst of this tragedy
there remains a beacon of hope
still shining bright in our sanctuary.
A light that needs no electricity, no
power except that which God gives
to us. Our ner tamid, eternal light,
is still shining! Powered by the
sun and unaffected by what has
befallen us, the ner tamid calls us
to remember that no matter what,
no matter where, God is always
here with us.

www.ravima.com

DALIA TAFT, archivist of the Orange County Jewish Historical Society - a Connect 2 People Initiative
of Jewish Federation & Family Services - highlights images from the archives every month. For more
information, please visit www.jewishorangecounty.org/historical. You can also contact Dalia at or at
(949) 435-3484, ext. 167.

While much of our chattering
classes remain obsessed with
the fear of Islamophobia and are
determined to keep alive the myth
of a post 9/11 backlash against
American Muslims, FBI hate crime
statistics continue to show that
anti-Jewish attacks outnumber
those directed at Muslims by a
huge margin.

www.commentarymagazine.com

LIFESTYLE

m

b li

ng

so
By
fa
J e w is h M ille n nial.

Looking for “Mr. &
Mrs. ‘Just’ Right”

W

e’ve all heard as children the
story of this picky and pretentious Jewish Princess named
Goldilocks. She clearly has an
inactive Jewish mother, seeing
that she breaks into someone else’s house
for food. Strange, we must admit, but for
whatever reason, we empathize with her. See,
the matzo ball soup Goldilocks steals is too
hot, another bowl, too cold. I know that the
children’s version only provides us with three
bowls, the last being “just right,” but we
know that there are more bowls of soup to
try. In the adult version, Goldilocks tries one
bowl that was too heavy and another way too
fluffy, some flavorless, some with too much
spice. What makes Goldilocks any different
from how we deal with religion and dating?
No, this is not another jab at my JDate
profile. Goldilocks really did have an idea of
what she wanted; just like many of us understand where Judaism fits in our lives. When
we meet others, in any context, we start to
classify them, using terms like: more Jewish
than me, too Jewish, not Jewish enough, not
religiously focused, secular, extreme, cultur64 MAY 2014 |

h

el

Ra

Sc

hif

The

f

Ra

ue

c

e
o
s
G
l
R
o
e
g
h

Jlife

c
Ra

more observant, or less, and vice versa? How
do we as a couple navigate different desires
and wants from our partner after we have
made such a big commitment? Our responsibility to our families is to grow together .
. . how can we accomplish religious changes
together? These issues need to be discussed.
Compromises need to be made, but
most importantly we are faced
with the challenge of valuing
one another’s differences in
a working relationship.
I realize I have thrown
a lot into your proverbial pot to stir, yet we
do this categorizing as
second nature. It is an
innate reaction we have
when meeting anyone.
Clearly, this affects us more
when we make big life decisions,
like finding a mate. Many rabbis have
said that as a potential Goldilocks (gentlemen, you too can be Goldilocks!) we should
make lists about what things we are willing
to compromise on and other attributes on
which we should not be willing to compromise. This concept of listing does not just
apply to education levels, humor and height.
These attributes should also include how we
navigate our Jewish future.
It seems so easy. You’re Jewish or willing
to convert, I’m Jewish, let’s date! Yet, the
reality is that being Jewish is never quite that
simple. Like many other meaningful aspects
of our lives, we need to place thought and
effort into what we value in our religion
and culture as well as what we are willing to
negotiate. Everything is compromise, and all
negotiations taste better with a bowl of soup.

we
need to
place thought
and effort
into what
we value.

ally affiliated, or the most
ambiguous, “just Jewish.”
These categories are subjective;
they vary by our own labels and comfort level. Like Goldilocks, we are looking for
that bowl of soup that is “just right.”
For example, do you wish to keep a kosher
home? For many in Orange County, if
the answer is yes, that may be problematic,
however, it may not be. Like Goldilocks, we
move to the next question. Do you want to
observe Shabbat? If so, what does that mean
for you? What!?!?! You eat on Yom Kippur
and work? That’s cool, me too (don’t tell
my mother)! Or, can we change that? I need
a partner who observes Yom Kippur and
makes sure our children do too. In other
instances, people have converted. Does it
matter to you what sect of Judaism they
branched into? Are you a practicing Cohen?
These are basics. I haven’t even broken into
the concept of Tzedakeh, Jewish community
activities, what synagogue we would attend,
or if just us having Jewish mothers is enough.
Maybe one of our moms is not Jewish. Is that
okay? Yes? Awesome! No? Next bowl of soup!
In a few relationships, I have noticed the
couple starts on the same religious path,
but then one of them decides to veer. What
happens when our partner needs to become

RACHEL SCHIFF

is an English teacher
who graduated from Cal State Fullerton. She
was president of Hillel, a representative of
the World Union of Jewish Students and a
YLD intern. Currently, she is a Master’s degree
student in American Studies with emphasis on
Jews in America.

got
simcha?
We want your
announcements!
Send us your births, birthdays,
bar/bat mitzvahs, graduations,
weddings or any other family
milestones, and we will print it in
Jlifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new section, Simcha & Such.
Email us at
editorjlife@gmail.com.

Mount Olive Plots Available
Two plots available in the Mount Olive section of the
Harbor Lawn Mt. Olive Memorial Park in Costa Mesa.
They are located at Plot 161, spaces E & F. The cemetery is
asking $12,000 for these plots. I will take $8,000.
Please call Ellen Israel with
any questions at (805) 218-9747.